A New Zealand anti-violence agency says it fully supports the Vanuatu Police for going against customary law and taking a prosecution against a man who allegedly raped his wife.

Transcript

A New Zealand anti-violence agency says it fully supports the Vanuatu Police for going against customary law and taking a prosecution against a man who allegedly raped his wife.

That follows criticism of the police from a Tanna chief who says the arrest is an abuse of custom law and the chiefs should deal with the matter.

But the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme's manager, Cam Ronald, told Amelia Langford the Vanuatu police are standing up for women's rights.

CAM RONALD: We were concerned to see a report suggesting from a traditional leader, a village chief in Vanuatu, that the kind of abuse of an alleged rape should be dealt with under customary law and not under the criminal sanction.

AMELIA LANGFORD: Yes, and I believe that is not uncommon in Vanuatu as well and that is a belief among many that it should be dealt with through the chiefs. What do you think should be done here?

CR: About seven or eight years ago, Vanuatu changed their laws to include marital rape as a criminal offence and prior to that time there were beliefs held usually by men that these were family matters that should not see the light of day. Well times have changed and the Vanuatu government has recognised that. And the courts now have indicated that if a charge comes before them then they will hear the facts and will decide how it should be dealt with.

AL: So your group is basically saying that we want to put on the table our support for the Vanuatu police here.

CR: The Vanuatu police work with us quite closely and they've taken the lead now in Vanuatu in standing up for women's rights in saying this abuse is not ok. And with the Commissioner's support from Vanuatu we endorse that stand taken by the police in Vanuatu to make life safer for people in that country. Attitudes that are held in a community do take time to change. We fully understand that. But it's seen from our angle, and other regional organisations, that statements need to be made, and the statements on the Pacific Island Leaders in their Palau communiqué reinforces it right across the Pacific. We know it will take time, we know it won't happen overnight. But it is important that people do speak out and attitudes do change. Many of the countries in the Pacific have had levels of violence which are at the top of the World Health Organisation levels. Vanuatu is up on that ladder, it's not as bad as other countries in the Pacific but certainly there are instances of abuse still occurring in that country and in other countries, including New Zealand. We certainly have not solved those issues in our own country either.